One of the most important aspects of my job as State Senator of the 17th District is to understand the needs of our community and the viewpoints of constituents. As an elected official, it is impossible to always agree with every constituent on every issue, but it is important for me to hear your perspective and understand the issues you face regarding our current state laws.

My schedule tends to be quite full — and I like it that way. My top priority is always being accessible to you and to meet you where you are. My office in the Legislature is based in Madison, but when I’m not there I want to be available to you in the district. Sometimes that means my evenings and weekends are filled with town gatherings, small business events, citation presentations, County Fairs, or meetings with local residents.

I always encourage constituents to reach out to my office or speak with me at community events with issues on state related matters. As an elected official, it is vital for me to keep my finger on the pulse of our community and I want to hear your input on legislative issues. In the same manner, as the summer ends and the school year begins, I want to encourage you to connect with your local school board members on educational decisions in our local school districts. Our children are going back-to-school, and big decisions are being made.

Southwest Wisconsin has many dedicated community leaders who currently serve on our local school boards. Just as my job is to represent the needs of our community in the Wisconsin State Senate, their job is to represent the needs of residents in our public school system. They spend many long hours ensuring that every student in their district receives the best education possible. We are fortunate to have people give their time to serve in this way.

Your school board members are working hard to be accessible to you as they consider policies for the 2021-2022 school year. They want to hear your perspective as parents and grandparents, so it’s important to speak with them on your ideas or concerns. Consider attending your local board meetings where you can directly see them debate and decide policies. These events are the best way to influence the educational decisions that impact our students. Do you have concerns or suggestions on curriculum? Extracurricular activities? Facilities? COVID-19 policies? Budgetary decisions? Discipline? Classroom resources? School safety plans? Staff trainings? Your elected school board members want to know.

If you need assistance locating the contact information for your school board member or school board meetings, please contact my team and we will be happy to help you. These boards make important decisions for our districts and I want to ensure you have the proper information to connect with them. Remaining in touch is the best way to stay up-to-date on all the work they are doing on behalf of our students.

So, as we say goodbye to the summer and say hello to the back-to-school season, I want to thank all of our school district officials, including school board members, teachers, and support staff for their continued dedication to educating our future generations. These individuals give their time and talents to their roles. They are dedicated to providing the best education possible for our kids, and they want to hear your opinion.

For more information and to connect with me, visit my website http://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/17/marklein and subscribe to my weekly E-Update by sending an email to Sen.Marklein@legis.wisconsin.gov. Do not hesitate to call 800-978-8008 if you have input, ideas or need assistance with any state-related matters.

— Sen. Howard Marklein represents Wisconsin’s 17th Senate District.